diff --git a/src/modules/load_mon/load_mon.cpp b/src/modules/load_mon/load_mon.cpp
index 98061cf04a..2519bc7ba9 100644
--- a/src/modules/load_mon/load_mon.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/load_mon/load_mon.cpp
@@ -58,6 +58,10 @@
 #include <uORB/topics/cpuload.h>
 #include <uORB/topics/task_stack_info.h>
 
+#if defined(__PX4_NUTTX) && !defined(CONFIG_SCHED_INSTRUMENTATION)
+#  error load_mon support requires CONFIG_SCHED_INSTRUMENTATION
+#endif
+
 extern struct system_load_s system_load;
 
 #define STACK_LOW_WARNING_THRESHOLD 300 ///< if free stack space falls below this, print a warning
diff --git a/src/modules/logger/watchdog.cpp b/src/modules/logger/watchdog.cpp
index 504d1d8e33..4bf734c0b6 100644
--- a/src/modules/logger/watchdog.cpp
+++ b/src/modules/logger/watchdog.cpp
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@
 
 #include <px4_log.h>
 
+#if defined(__PX4_NUTTX) && !defined(CONFIG_SCHED_INSTRUMENTATION)
+#  error watchdog support requires CONFIG_SCHED_INSTRUMENTATION
+#endif
+
 using namespace time_literals;
 
 namespace px4
diff --git a/src/modules/systemlib/print_load_nuttx.c b/src/modules/systemlib/print_load_nuttx.c
index 6c8b8c31a3..f0466ae9eb 100644
--- a/src/modules/systemlib/print_load_nuttx.c
+++ b/src/modules/systemlib/print_load_nuttx.c
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
 #include <systemlib/printload.h>
 #include <drivers/drv_hrt.h>
 
+#if defined(CONFIG_SCHED_INSTRUMENTATION)
+
 extern struct system_load_s system_load;
 
 #define CL "\033[K" // clear line
@@ -380,3 +382,5 @@ void print_load(uint64_t t, int fd, struct print_load_s *print_state)
 
 	print_load_buffer(t, data.buffer, sizeof(data.buffer), print_load_callback, &data, print_state);
 }
+
+#endif // if CONFIG_SCHED_INSTRUMENTATION